Toyota forced into driver change

8 May 2012

Toyota has revealed that it will be forced to change its driver line-up for the Le Mans 24 Hours after Hiroaki Ishiura was ruled out of the French classic.

The Japanese driver was due to line up alongside Sebastien Buemi and Anthony Davidson in the #8 TS030 HYBRID at La Sarthe but experienced discomfort in his back while testing the car and has been forced to withdraw from the line-up after taking medical advice.

Toyota will now name a replacement driver in due course.

“This was an extremely difficult decision to take because racing at Le Mans is my dream, but my physical condition has to be the priority,” Ishiura said. “I did not feel I was in the right condition to race an LMP1 car at Le Mans this year but I will focus on recovering as I really want to drive for Toyota Racing next year.

“For now I will focus my energy entirely on Super GT and the Nürburgring 24 Hours, whilst supporting Toyota Racing from a distance.”